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Zaha Hadid is an architect who has contributed with a pioneering vision in the world of architecture. Her work became a symbol for creativity, where she refined the boundaries of the architecture norm. Her company “Zaha Hadid Architects” is now leading in the architecture world.

Speaking of Zaha Hadid’s contribution in the transportation field. Countries all over the world launched competitions for their major projects to choose the best design. It is not just luck that “Zaha Hadid Architects” won every time. Some of those projects were transportation infrastructure.
Zaha Hadid had a great contribution to the transportation infrastructure. The well-known architect & the first woman to receive the “Pritzker Architecture Prize”. She was also awarded the most prestigious architectural award, which is the Stirling Prize.

She presented to the world more than six projects that are considered as transportations infrastructure and of course, it is fascinating.

In this article, we will present some of her projects:

Zaha Hadid’s infrastructure projects

Zaragoza Bridge Pavilion

The Zaragoza bridge pavilion was constructed for the Expo 2008 in Zaragoza (Spain). It is one of the few bridges in the world to merge two building typologies combining engineering infrastructure with architecture elements.
It is built over the river Ebro connecting the main boulevard in the delicias intermodal station to the Expo site passing over a small island.
Hadid chose fiberglass reinforced concrete from Austrian company Rieder to envelope the bridge: she covered the outer skin of the building with 29,000 triangles of fabric in different shades of grey.

Sheikh Zayed Bridge:

Sheikh Zayed Bridge is a spectacular suspended deck arch bridge, design and construction of a third gateway crossing linking Abu Dhabi Island to the Gulf South shore across the Masqat Channel.
Considered to be one of the most intricate bridges ever built; it features striking curved design arches, which evokes the undulating sand dunes of the desert region. The bridge is 842 m (2,762 ft.) long and is composed of three main arches supported by four piers and two additional sets of supports on the Abu Dhabi island side. The main span is 140m (460 ft.) wide.
It has a dynamic lighting design that is based on subtle colors that flow across the bridge’s spine, symbolizing the connecting nature of the bridge and the energy that the capital city Abu Dhabi radiates

The bridge has the prospect of becoming a destination itself and is a potential catalyst in the future urban growth of Abu Dhabi.

Danjiang Bridge:

It is located at the mouth of Tamsui River that flows through the capital Taipei, Taiwan.

The bridge will increase connectivity between neighborhoods and reduce through-traffic on roads within local town centers, also reducing traffic from the congested Guandu Bridge.
It will be a single-tower, asymmetric cable-stayed bridge with a 920 meters (3,020 ft.) long road, rail and pedestrian deck supported by a single 200-metre-high pylon. Upon completion in 2020, it will be the world’s longest asymmetric cable-stayed bridge with a single tower.
The design was created with major emphasis on Tamsui’s sunset landscape maintenance, preservation of cultural assets, environmental protection and promotion of tourism and recreational activities in the region.Napoli Afragola railway station:

As stated by Gioia Ghezzi, president of the Italian State Railway, “This unusual station is the work of great architects and is of enormous strategic significance. We wanted to build a station not only for transit passengers but also one that will, over the course of time, become a motor for Southern Italy’s further development and for creation of jobs and economic growth”.
That was the Italian dream since Zaha Hadid Architects presented its design back in 2003 but construction work actually began in 2015.
The central approach taken by Zaha Hadid and Patrick Schumacher focused on designing the station as a public bridge that connects the communities on either side of the railway lines. In the further planning, special emphasis was placed on minimizing the distances taken by passengers in reaching or leaving their trains and when connecting to other rail services.
The new rail station at Napoli Afragola is designed as one of southern Italy’s key interchange stations serving four high speed inter-city lined, three inter-regional lines and local commuter line.

Nordpark Railway Station:

Nordpark railway stations, is a series of four stations that takes on a similar approach in there form. These stations are located on the Northern chain of mountains in Innsbruck

“Shell & Shadow” a unique architecture language of fluidity inspired by natural ice formation, for station a long Innsbruck’s northern chain of mountains. Lightweight organic roof structures float on concrete plinths, their soft shapes creating an artificial landscape.
In addition to the four stations, Zaha Hadid also designed the bridge over the river in which, besides the particularly impressive Hungerburg station, has already become the emblematic symbol of the funicular. It may also soon become a new Innsbruck landmark, especially at night when deliberately, carefully directed light sets the distinctive and uniquely dynamic-looking bridge Centre stage.Z-car:

It seems that Zaha is still insisting to surprise us with her fabulous designs, not only in architecture and interior but far beyond that. Z.CAR-II is a compact 4-wheeled 4-seater city-car that is designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, the car is powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries fitted with four electric in-wheel motors that make it an eco-friendly vehicle

The Z Car is a hydrogen-powered, zero-emission city.

Car for two people with a three-wheel base whose stream lined from combines functionality quite operation and aerodynamic performance.

Zaha Hadid contribution to the transportation infrastructure has significantly affected the everyday life of its users. She has not only refined the boundaries of the architecture world, but also the boundaries of transportation infrastructure in terms of bridges and stations and much more.

UTSN conference:

Transportation infrastructure is one of the “Urban Transport and Sustainable Network” conference topics. This conference will be held in Cairo from the 22nd to the 24th of November.